Dry or sweet Marsala for the sauce, why to skip salted cooking Marsala, and the earthy Italian reds and whites to drink with the dish.
Cook chicken marsala with dry (secco) Marsala, then drink an earthy, medium-bodied red such as Pinot Nero, Nebbiolo or Etna Rosso with it.
For the sauce, use a real dry Marsala (labeled secco), not a salted supermarket "cooking Marsala." To drink, pick a red that loves mushrooms: an Alto Adige Pinot Nero, a Langhe Nebbiolo or an Etna Rosso. For white, a Fiano di Avellino has the body for the sauce. On a budget, a Frappato from Sicily or a Barbera costs about $15–25.
Most chicken marsala recipes call for dry Marsala. It gives a savory, nutty sauce that balances the mushrooms and butter. Sweet Marsala (dolce) makes a sweeter, more caramel-like sauce, closer to what some restaurants serve. If you only have sweet, use a little less and add a squeeze of lemon or a splash of stock.
Marsala DOC is a fortified wine from western Sicily. The label tells you the sweetness:
It also tells you the age: Fine (at least one year), Superiore (at least two), and Vergine (at least five, always dry). A Marsala Superiore Secco is a good, affordable choice for cooking, at about $15–25.
Supermarket "cooking wines," including well-known brands such as Holland House, usually contain added salt and preservatives. They work in a pinch, but the salt makes the sauce harder to season and the flavor is flatter. A real Marsala DOC costs only a little more, keeps for weeks after opening, and you can sip it too. Read more in our Marsala wine guide.
Bottles to try for cooking: Marsala Superiore Secco Florio. For sipping: Marsala Vergine Riserva Florio, Marsala Vergine 'Baglio' Florio.
No Marsala? Dry Madeira is the closest substitute. Without alcohol, use chicken stock with a little balsamic vinegar or grape juice for the sweet-sour depth.
Chicken marsala is mild chicken in a rich, brown sauce of Marsala, mushrooms and butter. The sauce is savory, slightly sweet and earthy. The wine should:
Italian Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) from Alto Adige is light to medium-bodied, with red cherry, raspberry and an earthy, savory edge. Soft tannins and fresh acidity make it ideal with chicken and mushrooms. Expect about $20–40.
Bottles to try: Pinot Nero Cantina Terlano, Pinot Nero Elena Walch.
A Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba is the younger, lighter sibling of Barolo. Nebbiolo smells of cherry, roses and dried herbs, with earthy notes that suit mushrooms. It has firmer tannins than Pinot Nero, so choose it for a generous, buttery sauce. Expect about $20–40.
Bottles to try: Nebbiolo Elio Altare (Langhe DOC), Nebbiolo d'Alba 'Bernardina' Ceretto. More in our Nebbiolo guide.
Marsala is Sicilian, so a Sicilian red is a natural fit. Etna Rosso is made mainly from Nerello Mascalese on the slopes of Mount Etna. It is often compared to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo: red fruit, herbs, smoky and mineral notes, and fresh acidity. Expect about $20–45.
Bottles to try: Etna Rosso Benanti, Etna Rosso 'Alta Mora' Cusumano. See our Etna wine guide.
Frappato, from southeastern Sicily, is light and fragrant, with strawberry, cherry and a touch of spice. Serve it slightly cool. It is a good choice for a lighter chicken marsala or for guests who prefer soft reds. Expect about $15–30. Frappato is also blended with Nero d'Avola in Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, a slightly fuller option.
Bottles to try: Frappato COS, Frappato Planeta, Cerasuolo di Vittoria Planeta.
Barbera d'Alba or Barbera d'Asti has high acidity, soft tannins and dark cherry fruit. It cuts the butter and does not overpower the chicken. Expect about $15–25 for everyday bottles.
Bottles to try: Barbera d'Asti 'Fiulot' Prunotto, Barbera d'Alba 'Tre Vigne' Vietti.
Most whites are too light for the brown sauce. Fiano di Avellino DOCG is an exception: it is textured, with pear, hazelnut and honeyed notes that echo the nutty Marsala. Expect about $20–40.
Bottles to try: Fiano di Avellino Villa Raiano, Fiano di Avellino 'Pietracalda' Feudi di San Gregorio.
Red is usually the better match, because the sauce is brown, earthy and savory. Choose a light to medium-bodied red with soft tannins. If you prefer white, pick a full-bodied one such as Fiano di Avellino or a Soave Classico; a light Pinot Grigio will taste thin. Outside Italy, a Pinot Noir or an oaked Chardonnay follows the same logic.
You can, in small glasses. A dry Marsala Vergine, served lightly chilled, works as an aperitif before the meal and echoes the sauce. With the main course, most people prefer a table wine, because Marsala is fortified to about 17–20% alcohol.
What wine goes best with chicken marsala?
An earthy, medium-bodied red: Pinot Nero, Nebbiolo or Etna Rosso. For white, choose a full-bodied Fiano di Avellino.
Should I use dry or sweet Marsala for chicken marsala?
Dry (secco) Marsala is the usual choice and gives a savory sauce. Sweet Marsala gives a sweeter, more caramel-like sauce.
Is Holland House Marsala cooking wine good?
It works, but supermarket cooking wines usually contain added salt and preservatives. A real Marsala DOC, such as a Marsala Superiore Secco, tastes better and costs only a little more.
What can I use instead of Marsala in chicken marsala?
Dry Madeira is the closest swap. Without alcohol, use chicken stock with a splash of balsamic vinegar or grape juice.
What white wine goes with chicken marsala?
A full-bodied white such as Fiano di Avellino or Soave Classico. Light whites taste thin with the sauce.